85 US per day for Driver ok?

krizzel

Hi There,

I will be on my India trip next week and a friend who went earlier this year recommended me a good and safe driver+car.

He had "booked" him+car for 10 days, paying 60 US per day, but my situation is a bit different, we only require:

1st Day: Pickup in Jaipur in the morning (5am), driving around Jaipur -> Drive to Agrar in the evening
2nd Day: Sightseeing in Agrar and then drive back to New Delhi Airport in the evening.

For these two days, including everything (and considering the driver usually stays in new Delhi), he quoted me a total of 170US, is that ok? Please let me know what you think.

Cheers
Krizzel

capt_mahajan

Confusing. Don't you mean car and driver?

Even so, it is way too much for a normal car.

Do scroll down and read under "Similar threads' - or search the forum. Many threads.

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Outside the machine

krizzel

Yes, I mean Car and driver of course

Hmmm... too much? I mean I searched through the forum already but got the impression that if you rent car+driver overnight, including all parking, sleeping etc it would be more expensive, also, Airport might cost more parking fees etc.

Hal

Not including hotels?

For an A/C compact car and driver per day shouldn't be more than about $40 US including gas, tolls and taxes. And I'm sure there are people here who have been able to negotiate much less.

vandy

Sounds pretty steep.

I think there is a website called "my private driver" or
something along those lines.


vandy

capt_mahajan

A airconditioned car and driver should range from around 6/7 rupees a kilometer(Tata Indica) to around 11/12 (Toyota Innova). Delhi residents and regulars will get even better rates. (10 percent or so)

I would estimate, roughly, around 5000-5500 rupees for a return Agra trip (dunno exact distance) for the Innova types.

Parking is 60 rupees at Delhi airport. Usually 10 elsewhere.

Sleeping for the driver will be max a few hundred rupees- 300 or so, even if you pay for it.

jaibharatma

That is way too steep! Hope some other IMRS who have used a car and driver in Jaipur can help out with contacts. He will charge you for Jaipur/Agra/Delhi/Jaipur. Normally the driver stays with the car, meaning sleeps in the car, unless the place that you are staying at provides accommodations for drivers. That has been my experience.It still should not be that expensive though. I always use the same driver in Delhi. A different company one for out of state unless I'm flying or taking the train, which is my favourite mode of travel in India.

jaibharatma

Hello Captain, krizzel's quotes are steep, not yours.

krizzel

thanks a lot for the advise,
based on captains numbers i just did my calculations:

Jaipur - > Agrar -> Delhi -> Back to Jaipur = approx 700km * 10 Rupees p/km (just to take an average) = 7000 Rupees
+ 100 For all parking + 300 For 1 night driver sleep
= approx 7500 Rupees (155 USD)

So would that be considered an "ok" price?

Cheeeers

krizzel

Good morning, just for your information, i got a quote from www.savaari.com as well as per below:

Car Ac Tavera
Kms Charged 900 @ Rs 8.50 = 7650
Driver allowance 02 x 175 = 350
Service Tax@ 4.12 % = 329
Total Cost = Rs. 8329 (175 USD)

Rate per extra Kms@ Rs 8.50

Car Ac Innova
Kms Charged 900 @ Rs 10.50 = 9450
Driver allowance 02 x 230 = 460
Service Tax@ 4.12 % = 408
Total Cost = Rs. 10,318 (215 USD)

And my driver offered me know to do it for 150 USD as described in my post above, is that fine, what do you think?

cheeers

capt_mahajan

Which car is your driver using? Is it airconditioned? As I said, an Indica would be closer to 6 rupees a km.

Why is savaari charging for 900km? This is a two day/700km trip, right?

Usually a minimum daily of 200 or 250 km is chargeable. Which means that over two days you pay for a minimum of 400 km.
(200 per day is more likely, although this calculation doesnt matter in this case, since you are exceeding 500 km over two days anyway).
In your place, I would be ok with a/c Tavera

8.5 * 700= 5950 (your distances used)
Driver allowance 350 (though why two nights, but what the hell)
No service charge unless you want a legal receipt, and especially if you are paying cash.

which would mean 6300 or so. (around 125 usd) without receipt.

krizzel

Thats right, I was wondering about these points as well, just send them another email asking about those points.

Will keep you updated, thanks!

capt_mahajan

He might say the driver will get into the third day returning to Jaipur, so he is charging more.

BUT even so

3 days x 200 km is 600, and you are paying for 700, and he is back in Jaiput late night/early morning on the 3rd day anyway.

and, it is likely that he will not travel empty from Delhi to Jaipur.

so, why should you pay extra (over the return distance) anyway?

krizzel

Alright, here is the reply, I guess I go then with the "other" driver

- Why 900 km?
In car rental the kms are charged from garage to garage so the kms from running would be 900 kms for the whole trip till our garage.

- Why 2x driver allowance?
We do not charge night allowance the driver allowance is charged for per day.

- Why service Charge?
We are a registered company under the Indian government & we have to pay the service tax to the govt & the service on car rental is 4.12 %.

cheers

capt_mahajan

They are going to run the car 100 km either way from Jaipur till their garage


Service charge is ok, but often guys just give you a vague receipt and pocket the 4 percent.